Roasted Beetroot Panzanella

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash the beetroot well and pat dry. Place on a medium sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme leaves. Depending on the size of the beets, roast for 40-60 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
2. 2
   While still warm, remove peel by running your thumb vertically from top to bottom. The peel should rub right off. A paring knife works fine, too. Chop beets in to a 1 inch dice, place in a bowl, and set aside.
3. 3
   Meanwhile, place the almonds on a small sheet pan to toast for 5-7 minutes. Once toasted to your liking, remove from oven to cool.
4. 4
   Cut 1/3 of the sourdough loaf in to 1 inch cubes. Place on a medium sheet pan and lightly drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and toss to coat. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until toasted to your liking. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
5. 5
   Roughly chop the beet greens, parsley, and basil. Remove thyme leaves from the stem by running your fingers from top to bottom. Discard the stem. If the beet greens don't look good, any dark green leafy lettuce will do i.e. swiss chard, arugula, or spinach.
6. 6
   To make the dressing, crush or finely grate two cloves of garlic. Mix the sherry vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, and garlic with a whisk. Set aside.
7. 7
   Once the beets have reached room temperature, add the beet greens, parsley, basil, thyme, and almonds. Toss lightly with dressing. You may not use quite all of the dressing, so add it slowly to your liking. Add the toasted sourdough, lightly toss again. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with a little olive oil to finish.